thinking about a pair of these on my 2017 Anthem :

DT Swiss XM 1501 Spline ONE 25 Boost

I currently have Hope Pro4s with their XC rims, running 2.25 Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic tyres, and have often wondered how a slightly wider rim would be. The Hope is 19.5mm internal, the DT Swiss is 25mm.

Worthwhile upgrade ? I’d likely sell the Hope’s as they are only a year old, and the DT Swiss are on a good deal at Merlin..

They’re pretty much as good as aluminium wheels get. 25mm not that wide by modern standard, hence the deal, but for 2.25 tyres it’s plenty wide enough

got the 30mm on my hightower , fantastic wheels , climbs better , holds line better and great quality

I have the 25mm 29″ versions on my XC hardtail – and I think they’re great. I run 2.2 tyres tubless.

You could, however, just replace the rims on the Hope wheels?

I’ve got that exact wheelset on my SB5c, shod with 2.35″ Magic Mary?Nobbly Nic combo. They’ve taken abuse at Bike Park Wales and in the Peaks without any fuss. Strong and light (weighed in bang on the claimed weight, taped with valves), as good as you can get without going Carbon, IMHO.

At £449 from Merlin they’re an absolute steal Buy them NOW!

Edit: I have the CenterLock ones, but Meh!

Even though you have reasonable wheels I’d say that’s quite an upgrade. Whilst Hope hubs are good, the DT240’s (that I think that wheelset has) are lighter and need servicing less.

The rims are definitely better – pretty strong and light and 25mm internal will give you a slightly better tyre profile. Hope rims aren’t that well regarded.

Super duper wheelset.
I’m currently running a set of carbon Syncros Revelstoke 1.0’s. First time for a bike without dt wheels in 13 years and to be honest, I might actually go back to the xm 30s… the xm1501 series seem to strike the perfect balance of everything you need from a wheel.

excellent, ordered, many thanks for the feedback

I wonder, do they come taped for tubeless ?

I have a couple of sets of these, albeit the 30mm wide ones. One branded as an XM1501 and the other built from some 240 hubs from an XMC wheelset.

I’d probably go so far as to say they are the best wheelset I’ve ridden, and that includes most carbon wonder wheels.

The weight Vs strength Vs feel is just about bang on perfect IMO 🙂

I wonder, do they come taped for tubeless

They should.

Worthwhile upgrade ?

Yes, definitely. Really good quality wheels.

Things to check – are they the more recent versions with obviously dt240s hubs, or the older ones with 240s internals in a different shell? The former is preferable. If the latter, check that the the fronts are 15mm not 20mm OS (oversize).

I wonder, do they come taped for tubeless ?

Even the basic DT 1900s do, so these should for sure.

Things to check – are they the more recent versions with obviously dt240s hubs, or the older ones with 240s internals in a different shell? The former is preferable. If the latter, check that the the fronts are 15mm not 20mm OS (oversize).

Just to clear this up.
The original generation spline with the glued hubs were only 22.5mm internal.
These were however spectacularly good hubs though.
No XM1501 has ever been available with a 20mm front hub – at least as far as I know

Yep, taped with valves fitted. Should come with an XD-drive freehub in the box too, should you wish to switch later.

No XM1501 has ever been available with a 20mm front hub – at least as far as I know

True – my front was an EX1501 spline one, rear was XM1501. Didn’t know if those front hubs could be the same as on XM1501. Hopefully not in the OP’s case.

I wonder, do they come taped for tubeless ?

The DTS road wheels that I had from Merlin recently were, and included valves (inc a little plastic core remover) and 6bolt adaptors (the hubs were centerlock, which my road disks are anyway). Both sets of DTS rims (mtb & road) I have had have been really easy to set up tubeless with a track pump too.

Great, sounds like I have grabbed a good deal ! Not sure whether to keep my Hope’s on basis I may use them at some stage, though I only have one bike with Boost sizing, or sell. Only done a dozen or so rides on them and don’t really want to drop a heap on a set of £350 wheels…

I am on my third set on different bikes now! Current ones are 30mm version. Frankly the best alloy wheel set in my opinion! I have been close several times at trying carbon again, but why when these are that good.

Sods law, smashed my Revelstokes today.
Back to the super reliable xm1501s then 😉
Should have done it as soon as I posted!

Unboxing and fitting later – quick question please – freehub is shimano light ASL, 10/11 speed and I’ll be putting an XT 11 speed cassette on it. Currently on the Hope Pro4 there is a spacer behind the cassette, do I use that or not on the DT Swiss one ? Thanks !

Not a spacer on mine with sunrace 11-46.

`Nope, if DT wanted you to use a spacer, it be supplied by them

The spacer on the Hope hub can be removed to fit a road cassette. The DT doesn’t have a spacer.

thanks all, fitted and road tested 🙂

Hope wheelset washed down and selling locally hopefully..

Couple of rides in and jolly pleased with them.

Hope Pro4 xc wheelset now on classifieds…

Due to some unforeseen circumstances I am needing to either get these rebuilt onto 30mm width 29 rims, or punt them…

Any idea how much a rebuild onto the equivalent DT Swiss rims might be ?

Rims are about 80 I think, spokes about 30, and you can reuse the nipples and washers. Build costs depends on if you do it yourself or get a bike shop to do it. I’d guess at another 30 there?

Hi iainc, I’ve also been looking at this wheelset on Merlin for my Anthem. How did yours come? OEM or retail version? Are the hubs properly 6 bolt or are they centrelock with 6 bolt adapters? Do they look the same as in the picture on Merlin’s site (i.e. the latest version, not a previous year’s model)? Sorry for the thread hijack 😀

^^^^ hi, the 6 bolt setup looks proper to me, though not sure what they’d look like with the adaptors.. The rims don’t have red on them, so I suspect they are a previous year model. Mine will be available in a week or so (27.5, Boost) 😀

Anybody know what rim is used in these wheels? Is it XM421?

I’ve killed my spline one XR1501 rims after 4 years but the hub is fine so fancy something a bit burlier

6 bolt setup looks proper to me, though not sure what they’d look like with the adaptors.. The rims don’t have red on them, so I suspect they are a previous year model.

OE wheels have a no-red option (thats not year specific).

Thanks for that Ben, it’s a pity my Bird Zero TR is non boost !

Devash, I’ll be selling these in a few weeks if you are interested. I got them in the Merlin Sale, hugely discounted at £450, so would hope to get £250 plus shipping for them, ideally. I think they started at around £700.

Thanks for the info 🙂 Yes, might be interested, drop me a PM in a couple of weeks.

^^ no worries, will give you first shout on them, unless someone local to Glasgow picks them up. Cheers.

Iain, are DT boost hubs actually a different shell width ? I had a feeling that they were just different end caps (I’m assuming that’s your unforeseen problem)

scrub that crap. just checked & seems not

Just picked up a set of these today from Merlin.

A couple of quick question to those who have bought them too. The rear wheel came pre-taped in a bad with the manual and 1 valve. The axle / bearings are buttery smooth. The front wheel came in a different plastic wrapper with no tubeless valve (although it is pre-taped) and the front bearings / axle feels very tight and not easy to spin by hand, although it appears to spin fine when attached to my frame.

Getting a valve sent by Merlin shouldn’t be a problem but are DT front hubs supposed to be this stiff straight out of the box?

My Merlin ones came in a box, both taped and in bags, with valves and core removal tools in a separate bag. Both hubs silky smooth and perfect.

Without trying to sound a little patronising are you spinning the front hub on the end cap?  If so it’s going to feel rough, if it spins fine fitted it’s fine.